Rumours
by raquelle89
Summary: AU Brucas Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis come from similar backgrounds but for unknown reasons cannot stand eachother. What will happen as they come to learn that not all rumours are true. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**Rumours**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I do not will not and have never owned One Tree Hill or any of the characters**

**Story: Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott have never got on and no one knows why. They live next door to eachother and on paper they should be perfect for eachother but somethings getting in the way. **

Brooke Davis lived with her two parents in a big house in Tree Hill, North Carolina. She was extremely wealthy and extremely spoiled. Her parents bought her everything she wanted that money could buy. They gave her everything except the thing she wanted most, their unconditional love. Brooke grew up having a stronger relationship with her cook and her maid than she did with her own mum and dad as they were constantly travelling in and out of the country.

Brooke had long dark hair and beautiful green eyes. She had fair skin and her make up was always expertly applied. She took great care with her appearance and would refuse to leave the house looking anything less than perfect. In some ways she believed that by looking great on the outside it would make up for how she felt on the inside. Whatever her mood she would always have a smile plastered on her face showing of her winning dimples. The only time a smile didn't grace her face it was replaced by fury. That was a rule she lived by, don't show too much emotion and never let them see you cry.

She was a stereotypical Barbie girl, her main interests being shopping, boys and partying and like most girls she thrived from attention. Despite that, she did care about other things, it was just that by being pigeon holed into a category from a young age it seemed to make sense to carry on the trend, anything for an easy life or easier as was the case. Brooke may only be young but she had learned that in life things were never straightforward and therefore never easy.

Unlike most of the kids in tree hill she did not attend Tree Hill High School; she went to an all girls school on the outskirts of North Carolina. She stayed there during the week but usually came home for the weekends. Everyone knew when Brooke Davis was home as she always held the biggest parties which people strived to be invited to. The choice of schools was her own although there were times when she regretted her decision and there were times when she doubted that it was ever her choice at all, more like it was one her parents had guided her to. The school certainly benefited Brooke but it also benefited her parents, it allowed them to justify their many trips as Brooke was only home at weekends and they wouldn't see her much either way.

She may not have attended the local school but it did not stop people talking about her or wanting to be around her. She was quite the mystery and there was nothing the people of Tree Hill loved more than something to gossip and enquire about, in fact the least they knew the better.

* * *

Lucas Scott grew up with his half brother Nathan, his dad Dan and step mum Deb. His mum had died giving birth to him so it was the obvious choice to live with his father despite the fact that Dan would probably not have been in Lucas' life if Karen had lived. Lucas and Nathan were very close although that was not how it had always being, from a young age they had fought to be the best and outdo the other at everything, however when they grew up they became united with mutual dislike the man that raised them. They still wanted to be the best but the only person they wanted to outdo was Dan.

Both boys were talented athletes particularly in the field of basketball. Dan was very ambitious and constantly pushed the boys too hard. He wanted the best for them but he was too blind to see that he was in fact simply alienating his children.

He had always loved basketball but Lucas' secret passion lied with literature, when things got too hard or he wanted an escape he would read a good book and get lost in the adventure within the pages. No one knew about his interest as not only was it not any ones business but it wouldn't bode well for his reputation. He wasn't as shallow as people made him out to be but he did care about his image as it was one area in his life he had some control over, that is why he always took care of his appearance and tried to show a united front while out in public with his father and step mother.

Lucas and his brother were very popular and the target of many girls affections. Nathan was in a relationship with his tutor Haley but Lucas was still single and therefore fair prey. He was happy to hook up with girls at parties but he wasn't looking for anything serious, much to many girls dismay. Lucas Scott also happened to be Brooke Davis' next door neighbour.

* * *

Despite living next to each other for 17 years the two rarely spoke and if they did it was far from polite. For reasons unbeknownst to anyone else the two hated each other. There were many rumours as to why but no one was certain and maybe the rumours themselves were the problem.

People liked to talk in Tree Hill and usually that wasn't a problem. Most rumours were good and harmless but even the ones that weren't so nice didn't seem to bother people too much. It was due to the mentality that it was a good enough to be somebody for people to talk about even if what was being said put you in a bad light. Whatever age, people just want to be recognised.

Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis weren't ones for starting rumours, instead they had rumours spread about them, lots of rumours. Even if there was nothing to tell people enjoyed coming up with ideas to see how they would spread. Some of those rumours were so blatantly over the top that it was obvious there was no truth to them, however there were some more subtle rumours where it was hard to know where the truth ended and fantasy began.

Like most people Lucas and Brooke couldn't help but take note to some of the rumours flying about and as a result make judgements. That may have been where the pairs hatred for each other began.

* * *

Lucas Scott returned from the river court just before 8. It was a Friday night and Brooke Davis had just pulled into the driveway, which meant only one thing, there was going to be a party. He had no other plans but even if it meant staying home alone he would rather do that than go to a party thrown by the Queen Bitch herself.

They had never spoken much over the years and he had no intention of starting, he had plenty of friends and he didn't need any more especially a slut. Cheerleaders were known for being a bit promiscuous but for a start Brooke Davis wasn't a cheerleader although she definitely looked the part and second she was more than just a little promiscuous. Brooke was on a whole other level from what he had heard. Apparently a couple of years ago she was cheating on her boyfriend with his brother and his dad. It was also said that she had a slight drug problem and had some anger issues. Lucas wasn't claiming to be perfect as he himself had a reputation but cocaine was a little too far even for him and as for the cheating that was just screwed up. He couldn't understand how anyone could be that despicable but she wasn't anyone she was Brooke Davis. From an early age she had gotten everyone wrapped around her little finger, she always appeared so innocent so people were taken in although Lucas wasn't so naïve. She had watched her go out to the mall or the cinema each week with a different guy in tow, apparently she mad it worth their while. It was no secret that by her 16th birthday she had lost her virginity many times over whether it was in the backseat of a car or in the toilets at a club, she wasn't exactly fussy. She was so arrogant and despite spending little time in Tree Hill she acted like she owned the place and everyone in it.

* * *

Brooke Davis had spotted him from her car as she pulled in; she slowly got out and wondered if he was going to acknowledge her. As usual Lucas walked into the house ignoring her without so much as a nod of the head or a weak smile. She knew they weren't friends and the likelihood of them ever being more than neighbours was very low but she had often wondered why. He was extremely good looking she had to give him that but the problem was he knew it too well. Somewhere in his warped brain he must have thought that by simply being handsome and saying some nice words at the time, he could get away with being an ass. She hated guys like him, constantly using women for sex was one thing but forcing them to have an abortion was simply evil. Part of Brooke thought that maybe the Chlamydia was his comeuppance and that he would change but then she learnt he was basically on a repeat prescription. How was it that Nathan could be so sweet when Lucas was the complete opposite?

The party was in full swing and everyone was having a good time. Bottles of every drink imaginable covered the make shift bar and it didn't look like they were going to run out soon. No one knew how but despite being underage Brooke Davis never was one to disappoint when it came to getting booze.

She enjoyed to drink that was a given but every now and then she took a night of, she had never needed to get wasted to have a good time it just made it easier, but staying sober did have its advantages. For a start she would be able to keep an eye on her house making sure it didn't get too trashed, the second reason being that she would be able to enjoy the next day without suffering from a hangover. She hadn't visited Tree Hill for a while and she was looking forward to a day relaxing at the beach. The party was not for her, it was more of a statement to the residents of her hometown that she was there and was able to party with the best. Not that it would ever happen but she couldn't bare it if people forgot who she was.

Although her parties were always full and she was considered to be popular she wouldn't really say she was surrounded by friends. The people in her house dancing in her living room, listening to her music and drinking her drink were simply people she would say hello to in passing. There were few at the party whose name Brooke could remember, although in general she didn't know them and they didn't know her. She did have close friends but most of them were back at her school and there were the few friends she did have in Tree Hill, people like Nathan Scott and Peyton Sawyer and as of recent months Nathans girlfriend Haley James. Brooke had only seen her a few times but she had seemed like a nice girl. Her and Nathan were alike in many ways they had both being identified as the best by their peers and they were both living a life that stopped them from being who they wanted to be. Peyton and Brooke were friends because they were different, somehow despite their differences in music and styles they were able to be themselves around each other. Brooke cared about Peyton and Nathan very much but she knew that they were growing apart and all she could do was watch. Her school was quite an adventure and the fact that no one knew her family and having no parental supervision certainly had opened up some opportunities however every now and then Brooke got tired of the party life, she got tired of going from place to place and never actually feeling at home. Sometimes she wanted to have the simple life if that was at all possible.

* * *

By the time everyone had left the party Brooke was too tired to tidy up properly, she stuffed most of the rubbish into bin bags and decided to leave the rest till the morning.

She was just about to get to sleep when she heard loud music coming from her driveway. She wasn't in the mood. Dressed in little shorts and a vest top she jumped each step at a time and went out onto the porch to see where the noise was coming from. She was extremely angry but not at all surprised to see Lucas Scott sitting in his car in the joint driveway blaring out his music. Not only was the acoustic depressing music not to Brookes taste it was far too loud and coming from Brooke that was saying something. "What do you think you're doing?" she screamed as she yanked the car door open

There was no reply and that simply infuriated Brooke more, she leant into the car and turned the stereo of only to be faced seconds after by a miffed looking Lucas "so now I've got your attention"

"Who do you think you are?"

"Do you know how loud your music was?! It's late and you are being really rude"

Lucas looked shocked at the nerve of the girl facing him

"My music's too loud? It's late? You were the one having the massive party not even half an hour ago, there was no problem then"

"That's different I had a reason your just being a jerk, are you doing this because you weren't invited to the party"

Lucas' face seemed amused at the situation "Firstly if I wanted to go to the party I would have gone I chose not to go and what makes you think you have more right to be playing loud music than me, you show up here whenever you please and act like you own the place when you don't"

He hadn't finished but Brooke interrupted him "And what you think you do just because your dads the mayor, it doesn't give you any power, and it doesn't stop you from being a total wanker who treats girls like shit and pines pathetically for his daddys approval"

"At least my dads here and wants to know me, whatever you say it won't stop you being a spoilt little rich girl whose parents don't want to know"

For a second it looked like a tear was going to escape Brookes dark eyes but she held it back and just gave Lucas a stony glare before turning around and walking back inside. She was starting to get cold and goose bumps were appearing on her arms and as a result from her encounter with her unfriendly neighbour she suddenly felt sick.

Lucas defiantly turned the music back on at the exact same volume that had started the confrontation; he had only planned to sit out there for a while as he wanted to get out the house, he was unable to sleep, but the sheer nerve of Brooke Davis thinking she could tell him what to do made him feel like staying out there all night. He was not normally that stubborn or pig headed but there was something about his neighbour that brought it out in him. How dare she act all high and mighty? He knew all about her, she was just a cheap tramp who was so pathetic her parents didn't even want to spend any time with her. She had some nerve!

After a few minutes of blowing of steam Brooke finally calmed down. If Lucas Scott thought he could get to her that easily, he had another thing coming. The parent thing was a low blow but she'd heard and said a lot worse. Normally she'd have been able to take it but simply because it was Lucas she realised that somehow she had to get back at him.

**Please Review. Let me know if you like the story but if i need to improve my writng or if you don't like the story. Ask me questions or give me suggestions Just whatever you want to say please review**


	2. Chapter 2

**Rumours**

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I dont own One Tree Hill not today and not tommorow**

**Thank you for everyone that reviewed it makes me want to write quicker hopefully i should be able to update fairly often. Please review even if you don't like the story I like to know what you think.**

Brooke woke up early and was shocked to see the house in such a mess. She was tempted to leave it but thought better of it and after an hour it was back to looking relatively clean. When she finished she grabbed her towel and costume for the beach as well as a few snacks and headed out the door. There were only 2 cars in the driveway, hers and Lucas. She suddenly felt mischievous and although she knew she should be mature, the temptation to act was too much. She noticed Lucas car door was open and so grabbing the opportunity she turned the car stereo onto full blast, she reasoned with herself that seen as he seemed to like his music so much he wouldn't mind listening to it at 9.00 in the morning. Once the deed was complete she hopped into her car and headed of for her relaxing day at the beach. There was more planned for Lucas Scott but it was a start.

Her day had been just what she needed, no distractions, just Brooke and an almost deserted beach. She had being able to top up on her tan, go for a quick swim and start on her reading list. It was obligatory but she didn't mind, reading was one of the things Brooke enjoyed whenever she got the chance away from her busy social schedule. Whenever she returned to Tree Hill Brooke made sure she had time to herself as while she was away at school she hardly had a moment spare.

The driveway was clear of all cars when Brooke pulled in. That was unusual as Deb was always normally there, guessing that she must hae been away on a trip since the car hadn't been there earlier it didn't seem so odd, Nathan would have ben at Haleys and Dan at the office, Brooke wouldn't begin to guess where Lucas was but she had no interest in knowing.

Despite having a fairly relaxing day Brooke felt the need for a quick sleep however it seemed like someone had other ideas as the doorbell suddenly rang, after a few seconds the person on the other side of the door began banging really hard. The longer the noise went on for, the more irritated Brooke became and her mood definitely did not improve when she saw who it was. The blonde hair and the blue eyes would have been enough to identify the boy but the sheer arrogance coming off of the boy made it clear that it was Lucas Scott.

Deciding to remain passive and maybe even infuriate Lucas even more, Brooke simply looked straight at him for a while before finally asking in the calmest voice she could manage "can I help you?" His facial expressions told her he was beyond pissed but she wasn't entirely sure why.

"You bitch" he yelled as he walked straight past her into the hallway

"What! You insult me for no reason after rudely disturbing me and then you come into my house without an invite. I knew you were an ass but I thought your dad would have taught you some basic manners at least"

"You know I don't care what you think, but for the record and while on the subject of manners, where do you get of calling me rude when you basically broke into my car this morning, you're lucky it was me banging on the door and not the police"

"Firstly I didn't do anything to warrant you calling the police and even if I did you wouldn't because it might upset the image of the perfect Scott fmaily. We all know how important that is to you and your daddy, god forbid you upset him and secondly like I said I didn't do anything wrong, your car door was open and seen as I know how keen you are on your music, even at obscene hours of the night I thought you wouldn't mind" She tried hard to contain a grin that was fighting to appear on her face.

"You think you're so smart don't you! I was asleep and your little stunt woke me up"

"Ahh did poor little Lukey loose out on his beauty sleep, I thought you were looking a little rough"

"It's not just that" he tried to explain feeling flustered but ignoring the comment about his appearance "By the time I woke up the car battery was almost dead, not that I knew that at the time, so when I got in my car it broke down, whilst I was half way to Charleston"

Brooke tried to contain a giggle, she had no idea she would enjoy the effects of her little prank so much, she just thought the music would wake him up but it was so much better. The picture of Lucas Scott stranded on a empty road sounded so pleasing.

"Big deal, it's not like the car can't be fixed why are you throwing all your toys out the pram?"

She could tell he was getting more and more aggravated by the second and he appeared ready to burst

"I don't believe how stupid you are, you still don't get what you did, I was on my way to Charleston with some paperwork for my dad, he needed it by this afternoon and thanks to you he doesn't have it"

"Thanks to me?! Why couldn't you get a taxi or call for a truck to pick up the car, you could have made it up there even if the car did break down, it's not my fault, you started it by insulting me and keeping me up late I was just teaching you a little lesson. And didn't you maybe just consider checking the engine of the car before you left on such an important journey"

"My cell phone died so I had no way of calling a taxi or a pickup truck genius so I had to walk all the way back here and when I finally arrived the garage had shut, won't be open till tomorrow and that's too late and for your information I didn't check the car because cars aren't exactly my speciality, I didn't realise I was living next to an expert" he spat sarcastically.

"Well its common sense something you are severely lacking in, this whole thing sucks for you but its not my problem, I'm sure your dad will get over it not that I care either way, now if you don't mind I'd like to get some sleep, you've taken up enough of my time over the last 2 days to last a lifetime"

She walked to the door and held the door open, her face emotionless. Lucas glared at her and stormed of looking extremely angry. He was sweating and the situation had not turned out how he had hoped. Brooke Davis made him so angry; she was just a stupid little slut who didn't care about anyone but herself.

It wasn't Brookes intentions to get Lucas in trouble with his dad, sure the idea of him being stranded was amusing but that was different, that was harmless. Over the years during the summer breaks and weekends that Brooke had being at home she had witnessed from afar Dan Scott when he was in a temper, he was ambitious, power hungry and wanted to get the top even if it meant stepping on the people he was supposed to love. It was a bad idea to cross Dan Scott and Brooke feared that she may have inadvertently done just that and then put Lucas in the frame.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rumours**

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: Don't own One Treee Hill**

Brooke's week in Tree Hill had not gone as planned. The only party she had attended was her own and even then she had not taken advantage of the situation. The only boy she had spent any real company with had being Lucas Scott and neither of the encounters had being pleasant. Her parents had not returned home or even called and to top it of the closest friends she had in Tree Hill were too busy to see her; Peyton was away on a trip with her dad and Nathan was either training or spending time with Haley. Her days had being filled with shopping mainly and sunbathing, she had already completed two books and was halfway through the third but she was becoming restless. The quiet life was nice every now and then but after a few days it was simply boring. Brooke Davis was known for bring restless and she was constantly on the go. Some people seemed to think that she didn't know how to simply do nothing. Her timetable was full with commitments, whether it was a house party or a meeting for one of her many organisations. She barely had time to study and when she was at school she hardly had time to herself but it beat being lonely. She had grown used to her parent's absence but she had never being truly alone but the last week had being one of the emptiest for a long time. She would have being happy to sit in silence as long as someone was there with her.

* * *

Lucas had being grounded for the last 5 days and for the next 9 to come. His dad was kind enough to allow him as much time in the gym as he wanted and of course basketball was also allowed but everything else was taken. The only reason the sport could be continued was because it benefited Dan. Nothing not even Lucas' stupidity would stop Dan's dreams for his sons to become professional basketball players.

No cell phone, no ipod or stereo, no TV, no PS3,no computer and no sleeping during the day, it was like prison only the guard wouldn't let you of for good behaviour.

It was at times like these that Lucas was grateful that his father knew so little about him, if he had then the stack of books in Lucas room would have been confiscated along with everything else. When Dan was at home Lucas would have to deal with studying or sitting in his room but when Dan left Lucas was able to read as many pages until Dan's return. Without the books it would have been unbearable, obviously Lucas wasn't happy about the punishment but it made it go quicker.

After Lucas had rang to say he wouldn't be able to deliver the papers to Charlotte Dan had treated Lucas as if he was the worst thing alive, he had shouted about how disappointed he was and told him that maybe 2 weeks of nothing would teach him to do what he was told.

The punishment wasn't the worse Lucas had endured but it definitely wasn't fun. The only saving grace was that the appointment Dan had originally had was cancelled at the last minute, therefore the papers were not needed, but as Dan had stated, Lucas was unaware of that at the time so it was still not acceptable.

The relationship between Lucas and Dan was a complicated one. On one hand Lucas resented his father for the pressure he put on him and Nathan over basketball, Dan was so controlling it was suffocating. However On the other hand Lucas wanted his dad to be like other peoples parents, he wanted Dan to care and to take interest in him, yet anything other than basketball Dan didn't want to know. Even though he was a bad man Lucas wanted Dan to be proud of him but it always seemed as if he was asking too much.

* * *

Brooke only had a few more days in Tree Hill and she was excited to be going back to school. She had missed her friends, she had missed the parties and she had missed the attention. Normally she was given a warm welcome to her hometown but something was different this time around. Maybe she had lost her appeal somehow and people had stopped caring about her or maybe she was looking for more than people's shallow concerns about her life.

It always used to be acceptable for the people she didn't know to see her as this airhead, but recently she had begun to resent the fact. She was capable of holding a deeper conversation than people expected, every now and then she wouldn't mind if someone wanted to talk to her about politics or literature or just something on a deeper level than who was dating who. The people of Tree Hill didn't know the real her, she was student council president at her school as well as events organiser, she had set up many fundraisers and she liked getting involved, sure she loved fashion and parties and boys but that didn't define her. Up until recently she hadn't realised how tiring it was living up to the stereotype and she was starting to get fed up. Even her real friends didn't really understand her, they always questioned her on her after school activities and thought she was mad for wanting to help people rather than spend the day at the beach or the mall. She wanted people to know what she was capable of and she for once wanted someone to say they were proud of her. Her week in Tree Hill definitely hadn't lived up to expectations but it certainly gave Brooke something to think about.

**Thak you to everyone reading my story. I will update as soon a s i can, the more reviws i get the easier it will be**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rumours**

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer** I dont own oth

**A/N** Thank you for all your reviews there will be brucas interaction soon i promise but the last chapter and this one i think are necessary for the story but please be patient and i will update soon

* * *

Brooke expected to be happy when she arrived back at school, but she found herself missing Tree Hill and she didn't quite know why. For the first few days she enjoyed catching up with her friends and there were a couple of parties to attend which were fun but eventually the effect wore of.

Classes were barely able to keep Brooke's attention on a good day, not that she was a bad student, but when she had things on her mind she just couldn't concentrate. She came to the conclusion that it wasn't Tree Hill that she missed, more the possibilities. During her constant alone time at Tree Hill she had got the opportunity to think and re-evaluate her life. She was happy before she left the school but on her return something in her had changed.

When she had decided on going to boarding school she was going to somewhere with a blank slate, everyone was starting fresh so there was no family history. No one would know about her mother's casual drug abuse or her fathers rumoured affairs, no one would look at her with pity because her parents weren't there. A fresh start was the perfect idea to escape her past but it didn't stop her from falling into a routine she never wanted.

The problem with attending an all girls boarding school is all the girls seem to act the same, it is the only way to survive and of course there is a hierarchy where it is best to come out on top. Brooke was able to adapt but along the way she lost who she was, dreams were formed as a collective and no ones life was their own. Brooke had being lucky in some sense as her opportunities as school council president and position on other organisations had given her a small sense of identity but she was still fighting a losing battle. That was what inspired her decision to leave a place she was starting to call home and go back to the place she ran away from years ago.

Brooke's decision was made and it was finally ready. One more week and she would be leaving for Tree Hill for good, she had enjoyed her time at school but for her senior year she needed to start over. She had managed to get in touch with her parents and they had seemed indifferent to her decision, if anything they seemed put out to be contacted and later relieved at the prospect of no more school fees, all they had to do was sign some papers and it was then up to Brooke. The school had tried to talk her out of going as had her friends but she was determined it was what was best for her. The opportunities she could gain from graduating at such a respectable school were impressive but some things were more important. There were only so many rumours Brooke could deal with, only so much back stabbing she could survive and she had reached her quota.

* * *

Lucas was relieved when his punishment was over; he was looking forward to getting out of the house and catching up with his friends.

During the times alone in his room when he hadn't being able to read he had thought about the situation that got him into trouble in the first place, he had thought about his bitchy sometimes neighbour Brooke Davis. He had always thought of her as stuck up and spoilt and that alone made him dislike her but after what she had done he know hated the girl. She had gone back to her school already, he was glad as he wasn't ready for another confrontation but he was going to make her regret her actions and make her reconsider messing with him again, as soon as she returned.

He spent most of the morning at the river court just playing ball and catching up with his lifelong friends Mouth and Skills as well as Nathan. Despite living in the same house he had not seen much of his brother during his punishment as he had spent his time with Haley at a safe distance from Dan.

Dan and Nathan's relationship was almost as odd as the one between Lucas and Dan. The only difference was that at the time Dan had chosen Nathan's mum over Lucas', not that either boy was planned. Dan pushed Nathan as much as he did Lucas but Nathan seemed to have found strength in Haley and therefore didn't try so hard to please Dan. He only cared about what Haley thought about him and she wanted him to be happy. At first it seemed like Dan let Nathan get away with more than Lucas would be allowed to but later it was obviously not the case. For some reason Dan was against Nathan and Haley's relationship despite the fact they were good for each other yet he didn't seem to mind that Lucas wasn't so into relationships and that he was more interested in being casual.

It was Lucas that introduced Nathan to Haley as they had both being friends from a young age. At the beginning Nathan and Haley hardly had any relationship, they were more acquaintances than friends but eventually as Lucas and Nathan started to grow closer so did Haley and Nathan. After being friends for a while it was Haley who asked Nathan out and when they realised they both wanted more they made it official and had being dating for the last year.

Lucas had always enjoyed basketball, it was a game that not only was he very talented in but it gave him the chance to get away from everything else. When on the court Lucas was free from worries and the only thing on his mind was beating the other team. The adrenaline he got was like no other feeling and it made him feel like he could do anything. He spent hours playing on the rivercourt and it didn't matter whether he was alone or not. He had his very own court in his house but he chose the place by the river as there was some kind of character to it. It was where he met Skills and Mouth as well as some other friends and it was special to him, an integral part of who he was. Even when he wasn't playing ball he would go there simply to think about whatever was on his mind.

* * *

Every Tuesday night since they had being friends Haley and Lucas had always had a film night where they would watch movies, eat popcorn and talk about how they would always be friends. They took turns in deciding what films to watch so it was fair and that way it was more interesting. It was a tradition that had lasted for about 12 years and even when Haley started dating Nathan they made sure to carry it on.

This week it was Haley's turn to choose and she had picked out From Hell, it was an odd choice for Haley as she usually avoided horrors but Haley reasoned that with Johnny Depp in it there was no way it would be that scary and even if it was Lucas would protect her. There relationship was like that of a brother and sister, they knew each other as well as they knew themselves and they were both extremely loyal and protective of the other. Some people questioned whether there had ever being something romantic between the two but the idea made them both laugh. They were friends and that was how it had always being.

* * *

Brooke's departure was fairly emotional, her friends began crying and that started her of, she was going to miss them but it was what she had to do for herself. She had enjoyed living in the spotlight but she was finally ready to sit back and enjoy a life which was simpler. She hoped she would stay in touch with her friends but knew that it wouldn't be the greatest loss if she didn't, she always believed that if something is going to work it will and if not then it can't have meant that much to begin with and that's how she looked on most relationships. There was no need to live with regret or to fight a losing cause.

Her journey back to Tree Hill was one of the longest she had ever taken. It seemed odd that she wouldn't be making that journey again any time soon. Her car was full with possessions; clothes, make up, jewellery and mementos, all the heavier objects were being sent over in a moving van at the earliest opportunity.

When she approached the welcome sign to Tree Hill Brooke put her foot on the brake and sat in her car in some kind of limbo. She took a long breath and started up the engine once more, as she passed the sign she let out a triumphant scream and continued on her route.

The house was the same as it had always being with its white shutters and red door, the garden was maintained as usual and the drive was clear showing the absence of her parents but something seemed different. She walked inside leaving the unpacking for later and went to explore her house as if it was the first time she had walked through the doors.

* * *

After being back for a couple of hours she was still letting it all sink in, she was in a place where no one really knew her, about to start a school where she was of no importance and living in a house where she was alone. Despite all that she had no regrets and was waiting to show Tree Hill what Brooke Davis could do even in spite of her less than normal parents.

It was a sunny day and she was still not ready to unpack or tell people about her arrival so she decided to go to her favourite place, the beach. She got there to find only one car and one person walking along the beach. He was tall at about 6ft and rather handsome from what she could see, his hair was dirty blonde and just the right length,he was in perfect proportion for build. As he turned around the sun shone brightly and Brooke had to look away. She lifted her head and saw his dazzling blue eyes that she could easily get lost in. For a moment it all took over and she failed to recognise who it was but she was soon brought back to her senses.

"Brooke Davis, what do we owe the pleasure?"

His sarcastic tones made her realise straight away that the boy who moments ago looked so appealing was the same boy that could make her skin crawl…Lucas Scott.

Typical was the only thing that came to mind as he took a few steps towards her, bloody typical.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay I don't have much of an excuse but hopefully you are all still interested in the story and I will try to update sooner next time. I hope this chapter was good enough but reviews would hep me know what you thought and where you wanted the story to go.**

**I don't own the characters**

**Chapter 5**

At that moment Brooke realised the consequences of her actions, while swept away with the idea of a new school and a new chance Brooke forgot about the reason she had travelled so far away for school in the first place. She had failed to remember that the people she had left behind were not so different from the ones she was about to be spending more and more time with. Most importantly she forgot that by permanently returning to Tree Hill she would have to endure Lucas Scott every day until it was time for college. The boy that stood for all that she hated. The boy that represented the entire population of males who only cared about themselves and getting what they wanted, the same type of men that made her so afraid to get close to someone, in case she got hurt again.

* * *

Lucas had being looking forward to some time alone and the last thing he wanted was to be disturbed, especially by Brooke Davis, after all she was supposed to be away at her snooty little school far away from him. She had only being back to Tree Hill a few weeks ago so what was with the latest visit. He tried to wrack his brains to come up with a comfortable solution but his mind kept coming up blank, there seemed to be no plausible reason.

* * *

It looked like both of them had being stunned into silence at the sight of each other. There eyes were examining each other with a look of disgust and confusion on their faces, both of them running through their heads the precise reasons why they couldn't stand each other. It had almost turned into a tension filled game of stares when Lucas broke the silence.

'Let me guess you forgot your lipgloss and you couldn't live without it so you had to come back but you're going back straight away' he spoke in a patronising tone. It was a lame idea and he knew it was totally untrue but he had to come out with something before she did, besides even if she had left something behind it wouldn't have mattered to her she'd just have bought a new one because that was the type of girl she was, she didn't understand the idea of sentiment, money was all that mattered.

Brooke expecting that kind of remark from Lucas hardly gave him any time to breathe before she snapped back in a calm yet confident manner 'Actually I was waiting for the scathing remark I knew you forgot to give me last time we spoke so I thought I'd come back to hear what you had to say and I must say after giving you three weeks I thought you'd have come up with something a bit more original, I'm guessing you've never seen my make up bag'

'You mean you fit all your junk in one bag and here was me thinking you applied it with a shovel'

'Lucas Scott with a knowledge of make up, so what they say is true, I'm guessing the sleeping around thing was just a cover up, does Dan know?, is Daddy proud? His big superstar likes boys'

'Is your dad proud of his little princes Brooke?' he spat looking at her as if she were something on his shoe 'Is he proud to know his daughters a junkie whore?'

Brooke let her expression slip for a second before lifting her hand to make contact with Lucas' face; she stared him down and turned around trying not to show her feelings at the mention of her father. So much for a simple day out at the beach, she thought as she climbed into her car and began driving back to her house.

* * *

Brooke pushed the thoughts of Lucas to the back of her head, she may have admitted to herself that he was attractive but it didn't mean anything. It didn't excuse him for the way he treated people he saw as beneath him and it didn't in any way make him a better person. Damn why did he have to be so good looking.

* * *

Lucas hadn't expected the slap from Brooke, he thought his last words would have made her leave but she was still fighting, even though he knew what he'd said had affected her. He couldn't believe that she was there of all the places, Tree Hill wasn't exactly big but there were plenty of other places she could have gone, now he needed to find somewhere else to think, somewhere that hadn't being infiltrated. Before driving away he couldn't stop his mind thinking up reasons as to why Brooke was back, he hoped that her visit was only a short one. She was trouble that was for sure as well as being a slag, she seemed to crave attention and the more time her spent breathing the same air as her the more he came to hate her. She seemed to have a knack of getting under his skin and there encounters had only being minor. He couldn't bear the thought of spending more than a few minutes with him, which would be simply unbearable. In truth he would rather have no relationship at all with her but since he had no choice the temporary neighbour situation was much more appealing.

* * *

Brookes anger had only increased by the time she returned home, her day had being totally sabotaged so she decided instead to go for a swim. Once in the pool she began to calm down but her jerk of a neighbours words ran through her mind, 'junkie whore', what was he talking about, he didn't even know her, he had no right to judge her. By the time she had got changed after her swim she had persuaded herself that he was no more good looking than the average guy, in fact he was below average, she had just hoped there was some benefit to returning home, simply her overactive imagination. Lucas Scott was an ass, an arrogant, pig headed, chauvinistic ass. He was also going to be living next door and going to the same school and sharing some of the same classes with her for the next year. What had she let herself in for. The only thing to do was to avoid him as much as possible to make both their lives easier. It was not going to be easy but she was not going to walk away and if he had a problem with her then that was for him to deal with, she was staying put.

**Thank you for reading and please do review it will help me to write faster and it makes me smile**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with one tree hill**

**I tried my best with this chapter but I know its not my best, please read and let me know what you think. This chapter is based solely on Brooke but I have already written the next chapter which is full of Brucas interaction. Once you've reviewed I only have to click one button for your update so please review, I can't improve without your help, also thank you for all the reviews I have received so far and the people that have put my story on their favourite or alert lists.**

Rumours

Chapter 6

Weeks had gone by since the chance meeting between Lucas and Brooke and the two hadn't spoken a word; that was how they liked it. To Lucas' dismay Brooke had not returned home but he was still holding onto hope that her visit was temporary. They had both put effort into not seeing each other and on some occasions Brooke would sit behind her curtains keeping an eye on the driveway making sure Lucas was away from the house and that it was safe for her to venture out.

Brooke had spent her time back home trying to reconnect with the town and the people she had being apart from for so long. Her only real friends Peyton and Nathan seemed pleased to hear her news, they had set out to introduce her properly to her classmates for the next year, there had being parties and of course drinking, shopping and days at the beach. Brooke had gotten to know Haley, Nathans girlfriend, quite well and the three girls were becoming very close. As well as the usual days filled with watching DVDs and eating as much Ben and Jerrys as humanly possible, the girls actually talked, they all were as honest as they felt necessary talking about past relationships and their dreams. There were some of the most open and exhilarating talks Brooke had ever had but she was still holding things back. She knew Peyton and Haley were her friends but she needed to pace herself when it came to revealing all of her past, especially some of the moments where she was far from proud. It was a start though, she was on the right path to being the person she wanted to be, she just had to rid herself of doubt.

Brooke had talked to her old friends occasionally but they were busy with their own lives so it was harder than she had thought. She understood but at the same time she hoped that her old friends missed her as much as she missed them. When she had made the decision to leave it was the best thing for her to do but she was sad to leave them behind, after all they had being a big part of her life. She hoped they understood how she felt.

Her parents had not being in touch the whole time she had being back, Brooke was doubtful as to whether they even remembered that she was now back in Tree Hill, but that probably wouldn't matter as phone calls from her parents were rare even when they knew for sure where she was.

It was only a week away before school began for Brooke and she was both exited and nervous, school had never being much of a challenge for her, neither academically or socially but this was somehow different, she wanted people to see the real her and that was something new, something scary, although she had seen some of the students around over the summer she was still determined to make a good first impression, with the teachers as well. She was the new girl and there was no way around it. She was planning to try out for the cheerleaders as both Peyton and Haley were on the team, she had also enjoyed dance as a young girl so she thought it might be a fun experience. Her accomplishments at her old school had being impressive but it had left her very busy so she was going to see how things panned out before she made to many commitments, her main priority from now on was her grades. The reason for returning was to be the person she was without the matter of peer pressure and following the crowd. If she fell into the same patterns of her old school the change would not have been worth it.

She had a good feeling about her decision to return to Tree Hill, it was a fresh start away from past mistakes and regrets, the people seemed friendly enough and she had some good friends in Peyton, Haley and Nathan. She wasn't going to give people any reason to judge her and she was going to show the doubters what she was really made of. The next year was one of the most important of her life and she wasn't going to have any unnecessary distractions, she was not going to repeat the same mistakes from previous years. This time she was more focused and she had the will to do better, to be a better person. She was not going to let peoples throw away comments affect her, if her parents didn't want to know her then screw them, if boys wanted to call her names and treat her like dirt then she wasn't going to let them and if girls wanted to be two faced then she was going to tell them exactly what she thought and walk away. She was not going to waste her time on the losers that didn't believe in her or that didn't respect her. It was their problem not hers.

She still had doubts that her past might come back to haunt her or the past of her parents but that was just a risk she had to take and deal with it when and if it came. There was no reason for it to be an issue as what is in the past should remain in the past.

**Please Review. Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own OTH**

**Thank you for the reviews. I hope you like this update as I was quite pleased with it. The next chapter is the first day back at school. I will start writing when I know what you think, if you have any ideas. I hope this is long enough for you and I will try to update soon. Thanks for reading and please do tell me what you think**

Rumours Chapter 7

The last day of summer break and Brooke had agreed to meet Haley and Peyton at the café for the daily fix of caffeine and to go through battle plans of the week ahead. They were planning to go to the mall once they were done and then get ready for the end of summer beach party that took place every year. She was running a bit late and just hoped the girls wouldn't be too mad. Under normal circumstances she would be on time or arrive earlier than necessarily, but true to fashion it was at the time when she had plans and was about to leave that the phone rang and it was her parents. They were ringing to check the house was still standing and that she had not got into any trouble since she was back. It always amazed Brooke how much faith her parents had in her and how involved they seemed to want to be in her life. They informed her that they wouldn't be home for another 3 months if not more and that if she needed any money she should get in touch with the lawyer. There were no kind words spoken throughout the 20 minute phone conversation and at the end Brooke had the usual feeling that she was simply a burden to her parents and that they really didn't care about her at all.

* * *

She walked up to the table where they were sitting feeling slightly less happy than she had been when she had woken up in the early hours of the morning to go for her swim. She was surprised to see Nathan sitting there at the table as well although she didn't think much of it, he probably just wanted to see Haley as it was the last day before school.

She hugged and greeted everyone and was about to tell everyone about the sweet phone call she had received when a voice from behind made her lose concentration and do an about turn.

'And I heard the wicked witch from the west had returned home, obviously I was wrong'

Brooke felt a lump in her throat as it looked like her day wasn't going to go as planned and was steadily going from bad to worse. Lucas must have been there with Nathan. Was anyone going to tell her or they just waiting to see what would happen? She was lucky to have such great friends!

'Yeah you must be used to it by now, the whole being wrong about everything gig'

'Well I wasn't wrong about you being a pathetic little whore now was I'

'If I'm such a whore then I'd have no problem sleeping with you but in fact I do have some standards and that includes not sleeping with guys whose egos are bigger than their dicks so that counts you out, once again making you wrong'

'I'm surprised you had enough brain power to come up with that little speech, I'd have thought you tired yourself out when you had to go though the ordeal of picking out an outfit this morning, I don't know why you bother really, all of your clothes just scream fuck me and we all know you wont be wearing them for long'

'Once again the stupid slut wisecracks, getting rather old don't you think, I suppose if you grow up doing what daddy tells you your imagination has got to be pretty limited for whenever he does let you out on your own in public or is Nathan only with you as a chaperone so you dont't embarass yourself too much'

Before Lucas could make his comeback Nathan stepped in between his brother and Brooke

'Getting a bit personal here, why don't you two just cool it?'

Haley and Peyton who had both being watching the fighting pair battle it out turning their heads from person to person as if watching a game of tennis, now turned their attention to Nathan.

'I can see you two still share the same love and affection you always have, that's just great, heres me thinking we might be past all that'

* * *

Nathan had never quite understood why his brother and his friend hated each other so much, he cared about them both and saw no reason why they would clash, maybe they were too similar to get on, both were stubborn and driven thats for sure, but there seemed to be more to it. He had being pleased when he heard Brooke was going to be staying in Tree Hill but he knew for sure his brother wouldn't feel the same, that is why he had tried to hide it from him for as long as possible for fear of the consequences. His brother had always taken the limelight at Tree Hill High but Brooke was fond of the attention to so this was probably the first of many fights to come. It was certainly going to lead to an interesting year.

* * *

Lucas was the first to break the silence addressing Brooke.

'Would it be hoping for to much that you are going back home for the start of school'

'Technically I'm going back home this evening'

'What do you mean by technically?'His face that had barely showed emotion was now starting to crack and he was feeling rather baffled

'I'm going back home, just not the home your thinking of, from now on Tree Hill is my home, didn't you know'

'You mean...'

'I mean I'm staying… for good'

'I think I'm going to be sick'

'And I thought you'd be pleased, we're going to be neighbours for good, I know you were always upset when I left so now you get to see me everyday'

* * *

The look on Lucas' face was one of utter confusion; he looked as if he was waking up from a bad dream except there was no waking up. How could this happen? Why did she have to come back? She was a royal pain in his ass but now it looked as if there was nothing he could do to get rid of her,he could barely stand the sight of her especially after he knew what she was really like so he had to try. If the little bitch thought she had seen him at his worse she had another thing coming. There was no way she would still be living here in a year it was only a matter of time. He just couldn't understand how his brother and his friends could like her, they obviously didn't know the real her, but they would.

* * *

Brookes face on the other hand was of utter glee, seeing how Lucas had reacted had made her day, it might even get her through the whole week. She knew he would be far from pleased at seeing her all the time, living next to her, sharing classes and friends; she herself had being dreading it as well but she wasn't going to let him get to her, she would stick with it and just enjoy watching him squirm. Her plan hadn't changed, she was still determined to be a better person and if anything Lucas' attitude towards her just made her more determined. She could deal with the confrontations as she could give as good as she got. Lucas Scott hadn't seen anything yet. The so called king of Tree Hill was going down.

* * *

'Brooke, do you fancy going to the mall now? We can get something to eat there if you want'

'Yeah all right Peyt, there's nothing worth sticking around here for, all of a sudden I've lost my appetite. You coming Hales?'

'Erm... yeah we can have a chat there''

Brooke said bye to Nathan and watched as Haley and Peyton said bye to both boys. She was the last out of the door and turned around at the last minute to see Lucas with a big smirk on his face, it was completely different to the look that had graced his face moments before. He called after her and all of a sudden she didn't feel too confident with the current situation

'I'll be seeing you neighbour'

He always had to have the last word, that's just how things were, nothing had changed.


End file.
